Chapter 79
{Zayn}
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It was dark inside the house. Despite sunshine breaking through the curtains, the lights were off. Zayn held his breath as he heard footsteps come closer. The front door had opened and he was afraid daddy had come home.
But when brown eyes like his stared at him, Zayn let out a breath of relief. He crawled from under the couch and threw himself in her arms, hugging her tightly. Waliyha hugged him back equally tightly, and Zayn tried not to cry. The past days, daddy had been gone and Wali had been the only one at home. He'd actually gone out with her and she'd showed him a playground a block down.
But now daddy was back from wherever he'd been, and Zayn couldn't help it anymore as he began to cry on Wali's shoulder.
Wali pulled back and wiped his tears. "No crying, zapman. Not today." She took off her bag and crouched down, pulling out a small box with a slice of cake. Zayn smiled widely. "Dat fo Jayn?"
"Yup, this is for you. It's your birthday!" Wali said enthusiastically. She kissed the top of his head. "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute."
She hurried into the kitchen, but before she did, she turned on the living room lights. Zayn sat down on the couch, moving his legs as he waited excitedly for what Wali was going to do.
She came back minutes later and shut the lights off again, this time a plate and a bowl in hand. A small candle was placed on top of the cake slice and Zayn jumped up excitedly. The bowl was filled with popcorn.
"You're three years old now, give me a kiss!" Wali exclaimed. Zayn leaned forward and kissed her cheek.
"Now blow the candle out and wish for something," Wali whispered mysteriously. She placed the plate down on the coffee table and Zayn sat down on the floor. He blew the candle out and Wali clapped. "Well, wish for something now! But you can't tell me or it won't be true."
Zayn stared at the bin that was sitting in the corner, the top of a glass bottle marking it's content. He pulled his hands together, and leaned away from Waliyha. Whispering lowly, he said. "Jayn wich fo mummy."
Wali's shoulders dropped and Zayn frowned. "Ywou heaw Jayn'sh wich?"
Wali shook her head and smiled at him reassuringly, grabbing some popcorn. "No don't worry, I didn't."
"Wali, daddy knowsh it'sh Jayn'sh biwthday?" Zayn asked curiously. Wali shook her head. "He's very busy, you know." She swallowed. "He must have forgot. But don't worry, he won't be here all day and maybe even not night."
Zayn grinned, jumping up. He hugged Wali tightly, burying his face in her hair. "Dwon't gwo to chool."
"School just started Zayn," Waliyha said sadly. "But I'll try to get home as best as I can. I'll bring you lots of new toys. Just sleep in your room and if you wake up-"
"Jayn know no open da doow. But Jayn can't open da doow," Zayn said. He'd never been able to open the bedroom door because it's handle was so high up.
"That's good, just stay there till I come back and then no worries," Wali said with a smile. She nodded at the slice, grabbing the bowl of popcorn. "Let's eat?"
When night finally came, Wali told Zayn they could sleep together in mummy and daddy's room. Zayn couldn't sleep though, he was too happy. Today had been so much fun. He kissed Ziam's nose before turning to kiss Wali's. Grabbing Ziam, Zayn slid off the bed. He left the room and walked down the stairs to get something to eat.
He was just in the kitchen eating grapes when the front door opened. Zayn froze, plate clutched in his hand tightly. Heavy footsteps followed and the door shut closed. Zayn's eyes widened and he scrambled to his feet, placing the plate on the floor. He looked around for a place to hide, but the kitchen light was open and everything was exposed. Zayn ducked under the table, heart racing. The person walked inside and Zayn heard a heavy sigh. "I can see you."
Zayn squeezed his eyes shut, heart racing. The table was suddenly moved out of the way. Shaking, Zayn tried to run out the doorway but a strong hand grabbed his arm. "Hey you, where's Waliyha?"
Zayn opened his eyes and tried to pull his arm out of his father's grasp. He tugged harder. "Umm...uh-"
Suddenly, daddy slapped him. Zayn took in a breath, cheek stinking.
"You turn to me when I talk to you," the person slurred. Zayn turned around, body trembling. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he looked up. "Sh-sh-she uh-"
Another slap. Zayn bit his lip, tears pooling in his eyes. His cheeks stung.
"Why do you mess this house up so much!?" Daddy exclaimed angrily, running a hand through his hair. He glared at him. "It should have been you, not her. It should have never been her. You get that?"
Zayn clenched his shaking hands and nodded. "Y-yesh s-s-siw."
"Now pick up the damn plate," Daddy said angrily, slamming the bottle in his hand on the counter. Zayn winced, hurrying forward to pick his plate with the grapes up.
"Now speak like a normal person, is Waliyha asleep?" Daddy asked angrily. Zayn nodded quickly, trying to reach the counter to place the plate. Daddy snatched the plate from him and slammed it on the counter like he'd just done with the bottle. Zayn's lower lip quivered. He wanted to run upstairs, he wanted to go to Wali. It was his birthday after all.
Zayn looked up and nodded. "Yesh. It Ja-Jayn'sh b-biwthday," he said quickly, hoping daddy would know not to be angry with him today.
Instead, daddy laughed. "Don't you think I fucking know that?" He sat down and chugged on the bottle. "Oh how I hate you birthdays."
Zayn didn't know why he needed to stay anymore. "J-Jayn go now?" he asked quietly.
"No no stay, I'm lonely," daddy said, sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs. He placed his cracked phone on the table behind him and kicked off his shoes. Zayn stood there, scared to death as he tried to stay still, not mess anything up.
"They told me, I didn't listen," daddy murmured. His eyes filled with tears and Zayn wished he could just run away. "J-Jayn shweepy. Jayn go?"
"No you can't go!" Daddy yelled angrily. "That's the problem isn't it?"
Not understanding what was going on, Zayn stayed complete still. Wali had told him once that daddy was just sad mummy was gone. Zayn didn't know if that was true, but he was sad too. He didn't go around and hurt other people. Zayn backed away as his father suddenly stood up, tossing the empty bottle in the bin. Instead he missed and it shattered into a million pieces on the floor. Zayn flinched and backed away even more.
"Argh, pick it all up," daddy said slowly. He went to the sink to drink some water. Zayn hurried forward with the large broom and tried to sweep the shards away. Finding it difficult with his small hands, he out the broom away.
"I didn't hear an answer," daddy said strictly. Zayn bent down to grab the shards with his trembling fingers. "Y-yesh-sh sh-shiw."
He grabbed two shards and threw them in the bin. But when he turned around to grab more, daddy was glaring at him. "You want a birthday present?" he asked quietly. Wali had given Zayn a blue pencil. What was daddy going to give him?
Zayn didn't nod, nor did he answer, because truth be told, he wasn't sure what to say. Daddy still seemed angry. He took off his belt slowly and Zayn understood what was going on. "N-n-n-no. Jayn dwon't wanna pweshent."
He took a step back and hit the wall behind him. Daddy just took another step, smirking. "Oh come on, I'm bored. Let's have fun. Besides, look how messy the house is, you need to be punished."
Zayn shook his head, heart pounding in his chest. "P-p-pweashe." Tears streamed down his face and daddy sighed. "Okay, so you don't want a present?"
Zayn shook his head quickly. Throwing the belt on the counter, daddy turned around and stared at the fridge where a picture of them all was hung up by a smiley face magnet. Zayn swallowed thickly and he turned around to sneak out the door. He was shaking badly and his heart was beating furiously. He didn't want to stay in the kitchen anymore.
"Hey where you going!?"
Zayn stopped walking and turned around, lips quivering. "Jayn shleepy."
Daddy walked towards him, but he stepped on something and his attention was stolen. Zayn gasped as daddy picked Ziam up. No, not Ziam.
"You still have this?" Daddy asked, face turning red. "You dare keep this? I told Waliyha to throw it!"
"No!" Zayn cried. He ran forward and tried to grab Ziam. "Daddy pweashe."
"Don't you call me your dad!" Daddy sneered. "Don't you dare, you-you asshole."
Zayn wiped his wet cheeks and he held back a sob. "Jayn love Jiam, it'sh mummy gave."
Suddenly, Ziam was thrown across the room and Zayn was slammed into the wall. Letting out a small whimper, Zayn covered his face with his hands.
"Don't you call her that. Ever." Daddy whispered, his grip strong on Zayn's shoulders. He set a crying Zayn down before walking over to pick up one of the glass shards. "Let me remind you of something."
He crouched down to Zayn's level and Zayn held his breath, the hem of his shirt fisted in his hands. "J-Jayn sh-showwy sh-shiw," he stuttered, eyeing the glass shard.
Daddy smiled. "You like having a birthday? Well, let me tell you something. Your birthday ruined my life."
Zayn swallowed a hiccup, his chest moving erratically. "Sh-showwy."
"No, no, no see sorry's not going to fix this," Daddy snarled. He showed Zayn his arm, pushing up his sleeve. "You like this?"
He showed him the coloring on his arm, the one of the heart. Zayn didn't know what to do, scared to death. Daddy slapped him. "I asked you a question. You really don't know any manners, do you?"
Zayn pressed his lips together, tears blurring his vision. Too afraid to say no, he took a breath. "Y-Yesh Jayn l-l-l-like," he hiccuped, though his true answer was no. He didn't like the coloring nor would he ever like it.
"Good. I'm going to give you one. Mine reminds me of what I lost, while yours will remind you of how disrespectful you are against my wife." He grabbed Zayn's arm tightly, pushing the sleeve up.
Zayn tried to pull his arm back, but daddy had a very strong grip, nails digging in the soft skin. His rough hands had started to bleed from holding the glass shard and Zayn squirmed, heart beating out of his chest. Tears streamed down his face as the glass shard met his skin.
"Ow, it huwtsh!" he yelled, trying to pull his arm free, but daddy didn't stop. He tried to draw with the glass sharp and Zayn cried as he hit daddy's arm repeatedly. "Shtop!"
Suddenly, daddy stumbled to the floor, the glass shard knocked out of his grasp. Zayn pulled his bloody arm back and he looked at the skin with blurry eyes. Waliyha grabbed him quickly and pulled him back. "How dare you!? Dad, he's your son!"
"He's not my son!" he growled and Zayn hid his face in Waliyha's shirt, arm throbbing with pain. He whimpered softly and Waliyha rubbed his back. "We need to get him to a doctor!" She glared at her dad. "I'm informing the neighbors if you don't take us there now."
"I just got carried away," daddy grunted, pushing himself to his feet. He grabbed the glass of water and gulped it down. "Oh and boy, don't forget what I said. Manners. Respect."
"Zayn, stop crying," Waliyha said softly as she wiped his tears, her voice shaking. "It'll be fine, it's just a little cut." Zayn sobbed into her chest. Waliyha's eyes filled with tears as she glared at daddy. "This is getting out of hand, dad, you have to stop!"
"I'm sorry, okay? Just got carried away. You don't get it, Waliyha!"
"I do! You're a shit dad!"
Daddy's face turned furious and Zayn clutched Waliyha tighter, sniffling. "When did you start to curse?"
"When you stopped paying attention," Wali said coolly. She kneeled down and wiped Zayn's face. "Com on, let's get that fixed up."
Zayn glanced down at his arm and began to sob again. Despite the sounds echoing around the kitchen, he didn't miss the small,
"Happy Birthday, yeah right," his father threw at him menacingly as he chugged on a another glass of water, Wali and him glaring at each other.
<><><><>A/N<><><><>
An insight of what happened on his birthday, and first time introduction for Waliyha! Poor Zayn bby 😪😒💔
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